Hansen goes from strength to strength

Rich Hansen is looking for a powerful finish to the year, after an up-and-down season testing his power against some of the country’s strongest men.

The Bridlington-born competitor will head to Spain next month for one of his most high-profile events to date, as he looks to build upon some excellent recent results.

Rich Hansen

Hansen, who now lives in Driffield, said: “I will fly out to compete in Spain for over two days of competing doing 10 events, which include a 20-ton truck pull, car walk, log pressing overhead and the Atlas Stones.

“The Spain competition was selection only and with my results this year and willingness to compete against the strongest, I managed to secure a place at the event.

“There will be some of the strongest guys in Europe competing and I also believe Terry Hollands, who is the country’s most successful strongman, will be there.

“It will be massive honour to compete against Terry, who placed third at the World’s Strongest Man a few years ago.”

Hansen believes the investment he has made in his home gym is beginning to pay off, and his 2015 season got off to an impressive start when he finished third at the Burnley and Pendle’s Strongest Man in March.

But his plans were then disrupted by illness. Having trained hard for the North of England Open and Bodypower Open, he developed a leg infection a week before he was due to compete and had to withdraw.

Hansen added: “Once the leg was healed up I went over to Blackpool and competed at Blackpool’s Strongest. I was in a good position to take the win but I messed up on the next-to-last event where I dropped the Conan’s Wheel, due to it raining heavily and the bad results dropped me right down to seventh.

“I couldn’t get back the points needed in the last event to get back to a top three finish.

“In July, I got the chance to compete against some of the strongest guys in the country at Summer Giants in Lancashire, which was an invite-only competition.

“I pulled a 20-ton truck, Atlas Stones up to 200kg and deadlifted 320kg and held a car up for over a minute. I managed to hold my own against some of the best and placed a respectful eighth place, just missing out on prize money. “

Before heading to the continent, Hansen’s next big event sees him line up in the Leeds Strongest Man competition.